Flying-machine.



I. L. MARTIN.

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED Fame, 1910.

Patented Apr. 2, 1912.

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ia/p4 @XZM I. L. MARTIN.

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED ran 1910.

.Patented Apr. 2, 1912.

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FLYING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

- Application filed February 9, 1910. Serial No. 542,970.

To all whom may concern:

Be it known that I, IRA LEE MARTIN, a

citizen of the United States, residing in thecity of Portland, county of Multnomah, and State-of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements 'in Flying-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to flying machines, and more particularly to that type of flying machines ada ted to be carried into and through the air y means of one ormore revolving pro ellers or carrier members moving upon t e air, and adapted to be controlled as to its position in the air and its general. direction of travel through the-air by the tilt or position-of said carrier members relative tothe boat or car of the ma- (31113118, assisted by the'use of rudders or the li e. 4 Among the salient objects "of my invention are: to provide in a flying machine of the character referred to an improved lifting andIcarrying mechanism for supporting and carrying said machine through the air; to provide m a flying machine a combination lifting and carrylng mechanism adapted to be adjusted as to its axial position to combination lifting and carrying mechanism adapted to be converted into a parachute and the mamechanism when not runnin chine isdescending; to provide in a flying machine a boat or car for the power developing mechanism and for the passengers, ad- 40 justably supported below'the liftin or carrying mechanism, whereby the weig t there-- of operates to keep themachine in upright position and assistsin maintaining its equilibrium;- and, in general, to-provide a flying machine of the character referred to having a combination lifting and propelling mechanism, with driving means therefor, and having means for regulating the position of the and regulating the general direction of travel of the machme. v

Y My Invention will be readily understood from the following description, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings,

whichr Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invent1on;- Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the invention with the lifting and propelling mechanism removed; Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of thedriving connections for driving the lifting and propelling mechanism; Fig. 4 is a top plan view of one of the revoluble lifting and propelling members; Figs. 5 and 6 are fragmentary detail views, showing two forms of closures or flap 'members for closing the space between the plane members of the lifting members, being adapted to close when the machine is descending, and thereby converting said memberinto a parachute.

Referring now to the drawings, 1- and 2 designate two carrier or propeller members,

each consisting of a series of plane members arranged concentrically-about and mounted upon an axle.or driving shaft, as 3 and 4, respectively, the shaft 3 being mounted within the shaft 4, which is made hollow for that purpose. The .plane. members of .each are made 'of thin sheet material, being broadest at their outer ends and narrowing as they approach the center. Each of said plane members are slightly tilted or pitched so that the forward or advancing edge of each is a little higher than the rearward edge thereof, whereby,as said plane members are revolved their movement through and upon the air causes them to rise or move in the direction in which their axle or shaft is pitched. The plane members of the memher 1 are pitched and arranged to travel in one direction, as indicated by the arrow, while those. of the member 2 are pitched and arranged to travel in the opposite direction,

- Patented Apr. 2, 1912.

tive to the rearward edge thereof, may be such as will most effectively lift and carry the weight to be carried, according to the breadth of each, without too great speed. The carrier or propeller members 1 and 2 are preferably much larger in proportion to the boat-or car of the machine, than indicated in the drawings, the member 1 being preferably somewhat smaller in diameter than the member 2. I desire that the pro- .peller members be made as large relative to 1 5 and 6, also indicated in dotted lines, Fig.

4. The flap in Fig. 5 is shown attached to the forward or advancing edge of the plane member, while in Fig. 6, it is shown attached to the rearward edge of the plane,

member, Figs. 5 and 6 being end edge views of two of the plane members. In either position the flap or closure member 6 is adapted to move ,into the position shown when the carrier members are not revolving and the machine is descending, being closed by the action of the air thereupon, as the machine descends, thus converting said carrier member into a parachute. For this reason, also, it is preferable that said carrier and propeller members 1 and2 be as large in proportion to the size of the machine as can be handled. When said carrier members are revolving, said flap :members will, if attached to the forward or advancing edge of the plane member, swing back and rest .flatly against the plane member, as indicated in Fig. 5. If-attached to the rearward edges ofthe plane members, as shown in 6, they will assume the po'stion indicated by the dotted lines in said figure. In either case, said flaps or closures are in osition that whenthe machine stops afi'd escends, the air will c'ausethem to move into closing position, thus forming a parachute mechanism. Said carrier and pro eller members 1 and 2 are driven in opposlte directions through shafts 3 and 4, said shafts carrying at their lower ends a pair of beveled gears 7 and 8, as indicated in Fig. 3, which gears are driven in opposite directions by an intermediate gear 9, driven through a universal joint connecting ear 10 with gear 9, the gear 10 being driven by a gear 11. The gear 11 is slidably mounted upon and is dnven by a shaft 14 and 15, adjustably connected through the knuckle joint, in any common and well known manner. Said frames 14 and 15 are adapted to be. moved forwardly along the shaft 12 from the position shown in solid lines, Fig. 1, until the driving shafts 3 and 4 assume the vertical position as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 1. This movement is efi'ected and controlled by means of a cable 16 attached at its ends to a ring 17 upon the frame 14 and extending thence around a pulley 18 and thence forwardly to a hand wheel 19, by means of which the position or pitch of the driving shafts'3 and 4 can be determined and regulated. As a further anchorage ,or hearing for supporting the frame of the machine, a track wheel 20 is provided at each side of the gear mechanism shown in Fig. 3, which said wheels 20 are adapted to engage and lift upon the underside of a pair of side bars or members 21 and 22, Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

23 designates a boat or car supported at the lower end of the driving shafts 3' and 4, through the shaft 12 and the frame members 21 and 22, as indicated, and at its forward end by means of a brace member 24 and a pair of rear brac'e members 25 and 26, all ofsaid brace members being attached to an adjustable collar 27, through which theshafts 3 and 4 work, whereby to permit of their adjustment from the inclined to the vertical positions.

28 designates a rudder, controlled through a cable 29 attached to the ends of arms 3030, transversely aflixed to the sleeve of said rudder and manipulated by means of a hand wheel31, mounted in the boat or car, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2.

The weight of the car or boat, supported on the ends of the driving shafts 3 and 4 and the brace rods 24, 25 and 26, tend to keep the machine in upright position and to maintain its equilibrium, that is, to keep the boat or car level. In order to aid in this, however, I have provided a downwardly depending vane or rudder 32 controlled through cables 33 and 34, attached to the hand lever 35, or other suitable contension upon the front end of the car,

through the cables 3435, thus being used to-assist maintaining the car or boat in level posltion.

, develo ing mechanism, which may e of posed revoluble carrier or propeller memany esirable and suitable character, is started and the carrier members are revolved inopposite directions through their shafts 3 and 4, and the connecting mechanism, whereby the machine is. lifted or raised vertically into the air. When a desired height is reached, the driving shafts and carrier members are drawn into .an inclined position, whereby the machine is not only maintained in the air, but is given a forward movement in the direction in which the propellers are pitched. The weight of the car under the carrier members keeps the machine in proper upright position. The general direction of travel may be'changed and controlled by means of the rudder 28, while the machine is moving, in the usual manner. The tilt or horizontal position of the car may be partially controlled by means of the downwardly de-. pending vane or rudder 32 adjusted'to catch the air and exert a downward pull upon the forward end of the car through the cables 34 and 35.

I am aware that modifications of the in-' vention can be made without departing from the spirit thereof, and I do not, there: fore, limit the invention to the particular showing here made for purposes of illustration only, but intend that the claims herein shall be considered broadly.

I claim:

1. In a flying machine, a plurality ofrevoluble plane members upon a carrying shaft, a car supported adjustably to the lower end of said carrying shaft, fixed brace-like supporting members from said car pivotally and slidably connected at their upper ends with said carrying shaft intermediate its end's and below said plane members, whereby .said shaft may be tilted through said pivotal connection and its lower end moved within said car forwardly or rearwardly to give incline to said revoluble plane members, and power mechanism in said car having adjustable driving connections for driving said carrying shaft and plane members.

2. In a flying machine, concentrically dis:

bers, driving shafts therefor adapted to drive said members in opposite directions, a car adjustably supported to thelower end of said driving shafts, fixed brace-like supporting members pivotally and slidably connected at their upper ends to said shafts intermediate their ends, whereby the said shafts may be tilted through said pivotal connection and their lower ends moved rearwardly or forwardly in said car, for the 'purpose described, and power mechanism for driving said shafts and having an ad 7 justable driving connection therewith.

3'. In a flying machine, concentrically disposed revoluble carrier or ropeller'members, driving shafts there or adapted todrive said members in oppositedirections,

a car. with power mechanism therein, a power shaft from said mechanism, adp'zstshaft and the lower ends of said driving shafts, whereby the lower ends of'said drivable driving connections between said power ably connected at their upper ends to said I driving shafts at a point intermediate their. ends, whereby when the lower ends of said drivlng shafts are moved longitudinally'of said power shaft, said driving shafts are slidably tilted through said supporting brace members, for the purpose described.

4. In a flying machine, concentricallydisposed carrier or propeller members, driving shafts therefor adapted to drive said mem-' bers inopposite directions, a car with power mechanism therein, a power shaft extending in said can from said power mechanism, adi'ustable driving connections between the ower endsof said driving shafts and said power shaft, whereby the lower ends of said driving shafts can be moved longitudinally bers from said car having pivotal and slidof said power shaft, supporting brace memable connections at their upper ends with said driving shafts, wherebysaid driving shafts may be tilted at will through said connections by 'moving. their lower ends upon said power shaft, and means for moving said driving shafts at their lower ends upon said power shaft, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. In a flying machine of the character described, revoluble carrier or propeller membersupon driving shafts, a car or boat supported by the lower ends of said driving shafts, and by rigid brace members therefrom having pivotal and slidable connections at their upper ends with said driving shaft; below said carrier or propeller members, means for moving the lower ends 7 supporting brace members from said boat having pivotal and slidable connections at their upper ends with the carrying shafts of said carrier wheels, adjustable driving connections between the lower. ends of said carrying shafts and said power shaft,

10 whereby the lower ends' of said carrying shafts can be moved longitudinally of said power shaft and driven therefrom in various positions, means for moving said carrier shafts into and 'out of inclined positions, and means for steering said flying machine, substantially as described.

IRA LEE MARTIN. Witnesses:

L. F. STEEL, E. J. NELSON. 

